Opera Mini - Difference between Opera Mini 5 and Opera Mobile 10

Difference between Opera Mini 5 and Opera Mobile 10

By Dag Olav Noremdagolav. Thursday, December 3, 2009 12:33:43 PM

We get quite a few questions about the difference between Opera Mini 5 and Opera Mobile 10. This post will attempt to clarify.

NB! Unless you have a Windows Mobile or Symbian/S60 phone, Opera Mobile is not available for you to download to your phone. Enjoy Opera Mini!

First, here is what they have in common:

Both are based on the same core technology, the Opera Presto browser engine (just like Opera for desktop).
Both use the same cross-platform user interface, providing similar features and browsing experience.

And the difference:

In Opera Mini, the Opera Presto browser engine is located on a server. In Opera Mobile, it is installed on your phone.

When you enter a Web address in Opera Mobile, the Web page is fetched directly from the Web server to your phone. However, the Opera Mini client sends a request to the Opera Mini server, which downloads the page from the Internet. The server then transcodes the page before it is forwarded to the client in a lightweight mark-up language designed specifically for this purpose.

The advantage is that the Opera Mini client can be much smaller and work on more basic phones than the full Opera Mobile browser.

On the other hand, Opera Mini depends on a server while Opera Mobile does not. (Opera Turbo is an optional service for Opera Mobile that compresses Web pages and makes it cheaper to browse, but it is not required).

In practical terms, here is what that means for you:

Opera Mobile will render Web pages just like a desktop browser. In Opera Mini, there may be slight differences, and very complex Web pages may not work optimally.
Opera Mini will generally be faster. It downloads less content and requires less CPU to render pages.
Opera Mini works on almost any phone. Opera Mobile is only available for Windows Mobile and Symbian/S60 phones.

Which product is best for you depends on your personal preferences and the sites you browse. Many advanced users will have both browsers installed and alternate depending on the situation. For example, they will use Opera Mobile when on Wi-Fi, Opera Mini when on a cellular network.

Another reason why Opera Software has both products in the portfolio is that many of our operator and handset manufacturer customers have very specific requirements. The differences between the products may be extremely important to them. For example, Opera Mobile is generally preferred by handset manufacturers for preinstallation on mobile phones.

Opera Mini 5 beta 2 is ready for download!Minor Server Upgrade

Comments

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thobi # Thursday, December 3, 2009 12:49:05 PM

thx, nice article & very useful

darkcg # Thursday, December 3, 2009 2:13:48 PM

I can't wait for the final Opera Mobile 10 for Windows Mobile.
By the way, will it support multitouch on HTC HD 2?

abhiabhitour # Thursday, December 3, 2009 2:41:47 PM

Gud explaination i like opera mini nd mobile both.

Paulsanitar2 # Thursday, December 3, 2009 2:48:21 PM

operamini 5 is superb, but where RSS? RSS So important for me(((

UnaisUnais380 # Thursday, December 3, 2009 3:37:37 PM

Super. Today i think about the differance between opera mobile bob mini. So i got all thanks :-)

Rafael Luikrafaelluik # Thursday, December 3, 2009 3:42:39 PM

Mouseover menus doesn't works in Opera Mini. :/

Dennisdxnnis # Thursday, December 3, 2009 4:21:57 PM

Where is the rss in mini5 and will the final versIon support T9 text input like mini 4.2 instead of abc that takes ages to type in? It's very cool but would be better with those additions

MisterNobody # Thursday, December 3, 2009 4:34:56 PM

Update
Unofficial Opera Mini vs Mobile comparison table
http://opera.perm.ru/?set=opera&nm=omvsom

Sujeewa de Silvasujeewads # Friday, December 4, 2009 3:00:57 AM

Good explanation, thanks!

Zeez90ali # Friday, December 4, 2009 3:17:30 AM

Forgot about flash support...

JusticeDeJust # Friday, December 4, 2009 4:27:52 AM

Hey, thanx 4 de xplan8ion. It's really helpfull. Personally I have 3 Opera Minis on my Java Nokia 6234 ie, OM3, OM4.2 OM5Beta2 and enjoy each 4 different websites.

FaizanXlife18 # Friday, December 4, 2009 1:37:57 PM

Thanx 4 da info guys.

selurus # Friday, December 4, 2009 2:45:30 PM

both.

Pujo Ajiajikoe # Saturday, December 5, 2009 1:04:21 AM

Opera mobile for wifi
Operamini for gprs connection...

Thanks for the enlightment.....!!

lamloyal # Saturday, December 5, 2009 9:00:52 AM

I think too
The latest opera version agree with touch screen

Ricardo BAN Romerorickbanr # Sunday, December 6, 2009 1:08:00 PM

I do have a LG KU 990 and instaled both versions of mini and I am absolutely Loving it :-). I only found about opera browser to my mobile a few months ago. But since then I try every diferent option possible with my phone. Thanks for making possible browsing online so amazing on my phone. I will be forever gratefull.

kubiku # Monday, December 7, 2009 2:10:14 AM

can't you call it simply "Opera Mobile" and "Opera Mobile Lite" ? It would avoid confusion "which is which" and be a simpler message for users

Ngamer01 # Monday, December 7, 2009 2:29:33 AM

Opera Mobile Lite would cause more confusion as people would think it was just Opera Mobile with less file size. So think about this in context to learn why Opera named these two browsers as is.

Mini - A miniature version of Opera that can't do everything it's bigger siblings can do. It only has the basic browser functions.

Mobile - A portable version of desktop Opera. It can do most of what the desktop version of Opera can do including the capability of using widgets.

JusticeDeJust # Monday, December 7, 2009 4:49:54 AM

Hey Ngamer01, nice 1 man. Opera Mini, Opera Mobile n Opera r named appropriately. I hav Opera on my PC as well n now I want the mobile version 4 smartphones cause my next phone will b n Android-based 1, probably the DROID or a Samsung.
Keep posting pals. Have a nice Monday, without the blues ;-)

illiad # Tuesday, December 8, 2009 12:07:50 AM

kubiku: If they were naming *properly* ...

OperaMini = OperaJAVA
OperaMobile = OperaWM or OperaS60

Moses Wesamoswes1 # Friday, December 11, 2009 3:43:06 PM

Thanx pals an application that can pause n resume a download is greatB-)

kon kila.kokila1 # Sunday, December 13, 2009 6:08:26 AM

gud.

Sanovic Sabossabo # Tuesday, December 15, 2009 1:14:57 PM

Bravo...is opera run on my BB STORM 9550

kitt # Friday, December 18, 2009 7:49:20 PM

I'm surprised that this hasn't been mentioned in the article:
Opera mobile supports javascript without reloading the page.

For example, if you are following sports scores which don't require page reloads, opera mobile is the way to go. In case of Opera mini, you have to keep refreshing the page every time you want an updated score.

Opera mini has very limited support for Javascript. See
http://dev.opera.com/articles/view/javascript-support-in-opera-mini-4/

JusticeDeJust # Friday, December 18, 2009 9:20:45 PM

Thanx 4 de info about Javascript. That's y I want n Android smartphone. Keep posting pal!

MichaelManadoman # Sunday, December 20, 2009 6:45:45 PM

i need opera mini 5 support flash like skyfire and rss like opera mini 4.2. thx.

Fatima Rifqa GhaffarIshq40 # Monday, December 21, 2009 3:27:53 PM

Thanx 4 the information Opera, Your the BEST!!! & You gives us the BEST you can. BE BEST 4EVER!!!

Jacqueline SetsibaBlaqPearl17 # Wednesday, December 23, 2009 9:58:27 PM

Hy guys thnx 4 de great info n keep posting,Opera is amazing...if u dnt hev Opera,i suggest u gt urself 1

Mohd Jawadtanhabitoo # Sunday, December 27, 2009 1:43:31 PM

Thanks 4 exp & comnts, beta 5 is nice but not supporting Persian lang, while mini 4 is ger8, whene i could expect this from beta 5?

Zogon # Sunday, December 27, 2009 10:37:32 PM

I'm so greatfull to have downloaded this files free despite opera's hardwork on them.
Thanks very much Opera.

Mohd Jawadtanhabitoo # Tuesday, December 29, 2009 10:16:32 AM

Rep to my own comment about mini 5 beta, it is supporting persian lang. Opera team thanks for the great job u r doing.

sidwtfimr # Wednesday, December 30, 2009 9:33:32 PM

Hey..i got nokia E63..symbian 60..bt wen i downloaded opera mobile,it said file is corrupt n ddnt open..same hpnd wen i tried mini 5..wats wrong with the thing?

Izzy lawrenceLawzy # Saturday, January 16, 2010 9:15:40 PM

I realy luv the system of om5 but it's not yet completed. I think it should beta 2 inbuilt flash player and reader so dat one can any video from net or read online ebook.thanks2 opera5 anyway

Izzy lawrenceLawzy # Saturday, January 16, 2010 9:22:26 PM

I realy luv the system of om5 but it's not yet completed. I think it should beta 2 av inbuilt flash player and reader so dat one can play or watch any video on net or read online ebooks.thanks2 opera5 anyway.do i make sense

zephr # Wednesday, January 20, 2010 6:37:16 AM

No one has said anything about the security " issue " : Mobile is SSL all the way ( from your phone to your bank or online store ) while Mini " exposes " your secure info within Opera server . You need to trust Opera to keep data safe . I now only use Mobile for secure connection , though , I had no bad experience with Mini !

Zogon # Wednesday, January 20, 2010 10:22:36 AM

Hope the next version can play online video

Michael Burkewolfetone # Thursday, January 21, 2010 11:08:05 AM

I've tried Opera Mobile 10 (I think it was BETA though) on my Blackberry 8520, and it didn't work half as good as Opera Mini. Is this common with the BETA on a Blackberry or did I mess something up?

Jane Airjaneair150 # Friday, February 12, 2010 12:44:41 AM

My Opera mini is really faster than Mobile

Murrayit # Friday, February 12, 2010 12:35:18 PM

There are 2 big problems in Opera Mobile 10 in compare with Opera Mini 5:
1- Proxy mode: Opera Mini acts like a web proxy for you with support of both HTTP & SSL. It's very useful in some countries like mine (Iran) because of 2 reasons. Anti Filtering purposes and speed up page loading.
2- Language Support: Opera Mini 5 Fully supports Right-to-Left Languages but Opera Mobile 10 have some problems with them and it must be considered as a big problem and must be solved.
If these 2 problems being solved I think there is no competitor for Opera Browser at least in S60 devices!

Purdi # Friday, February 12, 2010 3:35:46 PM

Originally posted by wolfetone:

I've tried Opera Mobile 10 (I think it was BETA though) on my Blackberry 8520

Opera Mobile doesn't even exist for Blackberry, dude.

Fatima Rifqa GhaffarIshq40 # Sunday, February 14, 2010 12:17:48 PM

I love opera 10.50.It's so fast & nice glass skin.Proud to be an opera!!!

sidwtfimr # Tuesday, February 16, 2010 6:05:49 PM

Can someone tell me y m i not able to install opera mobile on my E63..its symbian S60 3rd edition man..cudnt download it on a comp even..it says no content to download..cmon give me a way someone..hv gt mini 5 n its amazing

Laysa Calinskilaysa09 # Sunday, February 21, 2010 10:37:52 AM

MI PIACEREBBERE RIUSCIRE A VEDERE YOU TUBE ME DICE DI INSTALLARE FLASXrPLAYER è TEL CHINESE CHE SI ASSOMILIA CON IL NOKIA FUNCIONA CON OPERA 5. CERCO DI METTERE FLASH PLAYER E ANCORA NON FUNCIONA!HELP ME QUALCUNO PUò AIUTARMI?

Angelo Del Regnokholk # Sunday, February 28, 2010 12:45:27 PM

Opera Mobile 10 is an EXCELLENT browser! However, the only thing that stops me to use it is the lack of MultiTouch support.
On my HTC HD2 I'm using both Opera Mobile 9.7 and 10: 9.7 only for multitouch. Opera 10 is way faster than v9.7, the internet pages are loading instantly (Opera 9.7 takes a while..) even when I'm with my HSDPA internet connection and not on WiFi!
Native Flash support is really good, instead of Opera 9.7 that lacks it and I have to add it manually with a workaround.

Good job!

Waiting for MultiTouch on Opera 10. I'll switch definitely.

The Eugenia Project Developer
-kholk

Rini suryaniRinyani # Saturday, March 6, 2010 8:47:38 AM

Thanks for information

Alit Mardanggamardangga # Sunday, March 7, 2010 5:11:16 AM

Maybe it's late. But, if you wanna access RSS Feed like opera mini 4.2 on opera mini 5 beta 2, you can type "feed:list" (without quote) on your address bar. If you want a quick access, you can add it on quick dial. I wish it solve RSS Feed problem.

Andi Lolo Jayadinatalovelyjogja # Monday, March 8, 2010 3:03:14 PM

I installed both Opera Mobile and Opera Mini on my WinMob phone. But prefer to use the later, it's kinda faster, IMHO.

James brown smartintjose # Sunday, March 14, 2010 7:00:52 AM

With HTC sense in my HD2, I feel something different. Opera mobile has multi-touch and pinch to zoom, where as Opera mini lacks both.

bksingh # Friday, March 19, 2010 5:17:21 AM

Very good detail. Thanx

Rohan GauratRohan0207 # Monday, April 19, 2010 1:23:04 PM

Hi....
I have E63-1 & I installed Opera mobile 10.its amazing...I have opera mini & Opera mobile 10. Opera mobile 10,its faster 4 my mobile...
Really....Opera is nt 1ly good bt its best.......
Thank you Opera....

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